Cherry berries ripening usually occurs in the second half of June.
Due to the short shelf life of these berries, in later months it is not possible to eat its tasty fruits.
In this case, will please any cherries varieties "Regina", which belongs to the late ripening varieties.
We will reveal all the secrets of this wonderful variety and get acquainted with the rules of its planting.
Description of the late ripening sweet cherry variety "Regina"
This unique variety, both in the taste of the berries and in the properties of the tree, was bred outside Russia. His pedigree begins with Germany, where the Regina sweet cherry tree is considered one of the most valuable in horticulture. Its zoning is very extensive - it takes root well and bears fruit both in the Southern region and in the territory of the Middle Volga region.
Sweet cherry "Regina" - characteristic of fruits
This variety has a rather large size of the fruit. Berries during the period of removable maturity reach a weight of 11 grams. They can be described as berries with dark red skin, rounded in shape. The flesh is also dark red.
In terms of its structure, the pulp of these fruits is fleshy and rather gristly ¸ relatively firm, containing a large amount of juice of a beautiful dark red color. The taste of sweet cherry "Regina" is sweet, highly appreciated by professionals.
Terms of ripening berries are very late, when compared with other varieties. The period of maturity begins in the middle / second half of July. Thus, this is the last variety that completes the season sweet cherry. It is also worth noting that the berries are capable of a very long period of time to remain on the tree, if they are not cut off, while not falling off and maintaining a beautiful appearance.
Therefore, if you even for 10-15 days tighten with a trip to the cottage, ripe sweet cherries will wait for you to be just as tasty and beautiful. The use of sweet cherry berries is universal, which is ensured by their long shelf life in the refrigerator.
Thus, Regina can be enjoyed raw until mid-August. In the fall and winter, your cost will delight delicious compotes and jams made from sweet cherries.
What you need to know about the features of the Regina cherry tree
The size of the tree, as with most cherries, is medium. Growth is gradual. The crown is round-pyramidal in shape, characterized by a medium degree of thickening. The first flowering appears on the tree in the third year after it was transplanted to a new permanent place. Thus, the variety is attributed to skoropplodny. At the same time, the yield is high, it comes regularly every year.
About shoots of sweet cherry "Regina"
The shoots of Regina are very long. Even in the one-year sapling, they can reach 50 centimeters in length. They usually grow straight, reaching for the top. Light brown color. They can form a large number of berries, but the tree is not always able to provide them all with the necessary substances. In order to achieve large yields in the early years of fruiting, it is important to regularly shorten shoots by 2-3 roots.
Inflorescences no different from inflorescences of other varieties. Consist of 2-3 small flowers that have white beautiful petals. Calyx cup often.
Positive qualities of the variety
The advantages of the variety are primarily its late ripening. When planting this sweet cherry on the site, along with other varieties, it is possible to have berries of sweet cherry in your house for almost half of the summer. By the way, the berries in a variety of very large, high presentation and taste. Suitable for transportation over long distances, which is ensured by the solid structure of the berries.
On the issues of protecting the tree from diseases, pests and diseases gardener almost no need to worry. In particular, Regina, which is familiar to fungus diseases, is practically not affected. The frost resistance of the wood is good. Berries also easily tolerate high humidity and do not crack at the same time. Have a very long storage period, in comparison with other varieties. Among the later varieties of sweet cherry, Regina takes the most honorable place.
The bad qualities of Regina sweet cherry
The variety is poorly self-pollinated, therefore it is recommended to plant other varieties of cherries at one site with it.
We start planting Regina sweet cherry
Sweet cherries should be planted correctly. This concerns both the choice of a place for planting and specific instructions on the technique of planting a sapling in a hole. Otherwise, the tree can either not come, or it can bear fruit and hurt very badly.
The correct time of year for landing
Cherry planting is carried out both in spring and in autumn. At the same time, each season has its pros and cons, which we will try to tell in detail. Fruit trees are most often planted in the fall. This will be facilitated by the fact that during this period a much larger number of seedlings is presented on the market. This will allow you to choose not only the variety that suits you, but also an excellent seedling.
After the onset of stable frost, the trunk and branches of the seedling need to fall asleep to the middle of the sand, and later - with snow. In order for the seedling not to be damaged by direct sunlight, it should also be covered from above using a sheet of plywood.
But, autumn planting does not always have a positive effect on tree growth. Indeed, during a cold winter, a sapling can be damaged by frosts, as a result of which it will not be used in the spring and will not be able to yield crops. Therefore, if you start planting a sapling in the fall, first of all do not forget to carefully prepare the soil: it should be carefully loosened and fertilized, and also make a large amount of moisture in it. It is the nutrients and water that will help to transfer the seedling to the winter well.
If the fear of freezing the tree stopped you before planting in the fall, although the seedling has already been purchased, you can save it in the same form until spring. To do this, dig a small hole in the garden in which the seedling should be placed on a 45º slope. The pit should be buried very tightly, even to put a mound on top. The top of the seedling should be placed in the south side.
Spring landing positive effect on the growth of seedlings. If it is carried out at the right time (after a few days, after the soil has thawed), then the tree will be able to grow well for the whole growing season in a new place, and it will be much easier to endure the cold winter. However, all the disadvantage and complexity is that it is very difficult to find a good sapling in spring, and buying it in spring will create many problems with its storage.
About suitable place for planting cherries
Cherry loving sunshine is very poorly entrenched in shaded areas, there is little foliage on it. In addition, sunlight is necessary for the tree to form the fruit and in order for it to form a sweetness. Also, it is dangerous to plant a tree where the terrain is blown by cold winds or on the bottom of the slopes, where cold air stagnates. Sweet cherries are best suited small not blown northern winds of the hill.
We select the type of soil for a good growth of sweet cherry
Before you start growing cherries, you need to learn everything about its features. In particular, this tree is demanding on soil moisture. But at the same time, in no case should it be planted in those soils where water can last for very long periods of time, which can cause rotting of the root system of the tree. With this in mind, it is important to check the level of groundwater, if they are above 1.5 meters - it is worth taking care of the drainage system in your area.
The best options for growing cherries are soils such as loam and sandstone. They are well treated and do not require much care. Sweet cherry will not be able to settle down on clay or sand, if before that these soils are not well treated and fertilized. In particular, it is recommended to mix clay soils with river sand and introduce a lot of organic fertilizer.
Sand, on the contrary, should be diluted with clay so that moisture can linger in it. Fertilizer is also not worth it. Preparation for planting should be carried out a few years before planting, otherwise the soil will not have time to become fertile.
Getting down to choosing a sapling
But, despite how good soil and place you can choose for planting cherries, much more will depend on the seedlings. After all, if a tree is bad, damaged, or have damaged roots, its survival rate will automatically be reduced to a minimum and you will hardly be able to grow good sweet cherries.
Choosing a sapling pay attention not only on its variety, but also on whether it is grafted or grown from bone. It is necessary to take the graft, because it is from such a tree that the variety you need will grow. Such a seedling on the trunk will definitely show the place of vaccination.
It is very important that the root system of the tree is very extensive and not dried. In this case, the tree will be difficult to settle down and strengthen.
Stages of planting sapling cherry Regina
- First of all, proceed to the preparation of the pit. This should be done in 2-3 weeks before the autumn planting, and in the spring - even in the autumn. If you are laying a cherry orchard - the distance between one row of trees should be at least 3 meters, between two rows - 4-5 meters. The depth of the pit - from 60 centimeters, so that it was twice the root system of cherries.
- When digging a hole, it is necessary to divide the land from it into two parts - the upper fertile layer in one heap, and the lower one - in the other. The top layer immediately after digging a hole is mixed with 10 kilograms (you can use more, especially if the soil is not very fertile) of organic fertilizer. We pour it to the bottom, making a mound. Before the direct planting of cherries, this mound will sit well.
- In addition to the mixture, a long and reliable count must be dug into the bottom of the pit. To him later, we will tie up the cherry, so that it is less affected by negative weather conditions.
- Drop the tree in the pit. The depth of immersion should correspond to the place of the root collar, which is better to raise a little above the surface of the soil, but in no case do not drip ground.
- Bury the tree should be carefully and gradually, so as not to damage the roots but do not leave space between them with air. Therefore, you can bury the pit only half, pour into it 10 liters of water and only then dig it to the end. The soil is gently compacted, and we make a shallow hole around the trunk, reinforced in the outer side of the mound. It is in this hole that you need to water the sapling of cherries after planting.
- Moisture will last much longer in the soil and will contribute to a better strengthening of the seedling if the soil around the trunk is mulched. For mulching most often used peat, or humus.
What you need to know about caring for Regina sweet cherry
A care that must include watering, pruning and feeding of the tree can be the best way to improve the yield of the tree. After all, a breeding tree, and even not so long ago spread across Russia, will not be able to take root well in every locality. Therefore, be attentive to the following instructions on caring for Regina sweet cherry.
The main thing - timely watering
We have already mentioned above that the cherry is very demanding on abundant watering. Moreover, it is necessary to add water to the soil regularly, approximately every month. The amount of water used for watering one young tree should be 30 liters per fruiting and large - 60 liters.
But in any case, watering is highly dependent on weather conditions and soil moisture. With heavy rainfall it is not worth watered cherries at all, and during long periods of drought - it is necessary to increase irrigation up to 2 or even 4 times. Watering is carried out in a near-barrel circle, dug approximately 1 meter in radius to the trunk. This hole can also be used to feed wood.
What fertilizers fit Regina sweet cherry?
In the first year after planting Regina cherries, it will not need additional feeding. After all, before planting you have already applied fertilizer to the soil. In the second year after planting, sweet cherries will be needed. nitrogen fertilizersthat is, urea. It will very well influence the growth of the tree. However, in no case be in a hurry to make it when planting, because its action can burn the roots of sweet cherries. But it is also impossible to overdo it in the second year, it is impossible to deposit more than 120 grams of urea per 1m2 of near-wellbore soil.
In the 3rd year, you can already begin to regularly fertilize wood. First you need to make about 10 liters. stubborn pus. But the regularity of such organic fertilizing should occur at intervals of 2-3 years. The use of mineral fertilizers also has a very good influence on the growth of the tree and on the formation of the tasty fruits of the Regina variety. Most often used superphosphates and nitrate. The amount of these fertilizers, which are applied per 1m2 of soil, should not exceed 150-200 grams.
It is also interesting to read about the features of yellow varieties of sweet cherries and care for them.
Preparing Regina sweet cherry for winter
Sweet cherry "Regina" is enough frost resistant. But if we are talking about a seedling planted in the spring, then its winter hardiness cannot boast a high level. Therefore, before the onset of winter, the soil around the tree is important to carefully dig and water. You can make a little fertilizer (but no later than two weeks before the start of stable frosts). In addition, in order to protect a small tree from the cold, it is recommended to tie it with sacking, and cover the soil with a large layer of snow.
So that the cherry is not damaged by various rodents, the tree is tied with a fir-tree, tying the branches very tightly to each other with the help of twine. You can also wrap the barrel with ruberoid, and scatter special poisons for the weed of mice over the area.
Tips for pruning the Regina sweet cherry
In addition to the periodic pruning of young shoots of sweet cherries, in a more adult age, the sweet cherry requires the removal of damaged and broken branches. Thus, the crown should be monitored constantly and carefully, not allowing such branches to remain on the cherry for a long time. Cut branches need to carefully and with the help of a sharp saw. Cut locations immediately after trimming should be processed. For this you can use copper sulphate.
Special attention gardener should occupy the top of the seedling. It should be strong and straight. In case of damage from competitors that appear, you need to choose a replacement for it, removing all other competitors. If there are several main conductors - the crown of the sweet cherry will not develop properly, it may suffer from abundant harvests.
